r/taylorguitars

Getting back into my love of functional art. One can only acquire so many canvases but the same seems not to apply to guitars (and ukuleles, etc.)...

It's also fun to work with the design constraints of a case. Like the 350 or so custom-painted hats I've made, an instrument case is an extension of someone's body and painting them feels only one step removed from tattoo work. If nothing else it's an incredible conversation starter, carrying this around. And I keep thinking about the false eyes on butterflies and how in my experience (needs citation) someone is like 100x less likely to rip off your axe if it's so OBVIOUSLY identifiable.

Anyway! I'll do more of this if folks like it.

PS - That is not my thumb. This work is approved by my seven-year-old.

I’ve been trying to get my hands on this for a while, Jamie rhoden from title fight used it in an acoustic session a while back and I’ve been in love with it since

Finally sat down with this one last weekend. Far from perfect, but it’s already one of my favorites to play. The cat is a Bonus.

Taylor 312-N Prototype Model. I’m not 100% sure which features made it a prototype, other than being no cutaway and not coming with a pickup, but it sounds and plays fantastically!

Not long ago, someone asked about the headstock of the “Gold Label” guitar.

It’s just incredible!

The neck is so comfortable! It’s much better than the one on my electric guitar!

I bough my first Taylor today. Brand new. It’s the second brand new guitar I’ve ever had in my life. The first was a $100 Yamaha acoustic I bought in Bali in 2004. I quit drinking and smoking and I wanted to treat myself. I got to say , even though it wasn’t the most expensive , it sounds and plays incredible. Thanks Taylor , I’m very impressed. Welcome to the family. It’s the 214-CE.

New guitar day. I also have a Martin 00, one of the all solid mexican ones. The pic on the website showed a much lighter finish with hardly any grain. Needless to say I’m pleasantly surprised 😊

The tone is much richer on this than the Martin, could be strings obviously, I might put the same strings on the Martin for a fairer comparison.

Hello guitar enthusiasts! Google showed me differences, but I want to hear from people who know more about guitars (or actually have these guitars, or played them)

I found the 1 guitar I want for life and it is a Taylor 814 CE. I found 2 different ones that seem like the same thing, but I cannot tell if it's a different guitar. The only difference I can see in my search is that the Next Gen have something that makes the tone a little warmer (Which I want)

814 CE Next Generation Builders Edition

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Taylor/814ce-2026-Builders-Edition-Adirondack-Spruce-Grand-Auditorium-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Natural-1500000473141.gc?source=4TEM9GHBA&utm_medium=email&utm_channel=email&utm_source=sfmc&utm_platform=mce&utm_campaign=Trigger_4TEMDM9BL_GC_Order_Confirmation&utm_term=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.guitarcenter.com%2Fdynamic-page%2Fdetail-page%2Fproduct-detail-page%3FentSkuId%3DM25821000001000%26source%3D4TEM9GHBA&utm_id=168822&sfmc_id=188522519&optid=bcb114409f359c38bc7a13151579789185623cd8

and

814 CE Builders Edition

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Taylor/814ce-Builders-Edition-Grand-Auditorium-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Kona-Edgeburst-1500000390430.gc?source=4TEM9GHBA&utm_medium=email&utm_channel=email&utm_source=sfmc&utm_platform=mce&utm_campaign=Trigger_4TEMDM9BL_GC_Order_Confirmation&utm_term=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.guitarcenter.com%2Fdynamic-page%2Fdetail-page%2Fproduct-detail-page%3FentSkuId%3DL99500000001000%26source%3D4TEM9GHBA&utm_id=168822&sfmc_id=188522519&optid=bcb114409f359c38bc7a13151579789185623cd8

What exactly is different about "Next Generation" and if it is the same price, is it better to get? I know I want the builders edition for the ergonomic factor.

Hi friends,

Now I get it. I now understand and feel what is a Taylor guitar.

I've been playing for the better part of 2 decades, having worked as a session and touring musician, and over the last 6 months I have been searching for an acoustic guitar. I've had my trusty Fender GD47SCE since the early 2000s, Fender halo acoustic guitar designed and built by Guild.

Coming back to my search, I was fixated on a used Martin 00028, but these are still close to 3000-3500 with 10-15 year old range.

And I've came across a used 2023 Taylor 814ce, that just spoke to me. Picked it up for 2600 and I've played it on the very first night for an audience of 400 people.

Its confortable, stable, dependable, easy to play and keeps in tune, also, it has such wide range of tones across the spectrum of frequencies of an acoustic guitar. The top just vibrates and projects sound. It moves air. If I am speaking close to it, as in, the guitar on my lap, it resonates and amplifies my voice.

I've found my forever home., studio and stage guitar. It just makes me feel creative everytime I pick it up.

This past weekend I went to Nashville with two specific missions: To watch The Black Keys, and to look for my first acoustic guitar.
I went to Nashville wanting a Martin 000-18 Standard, and basically had my mind set on it (from all the videos and research I had done online).
My first stop was Gruhn’s where one of the sales associates approached me to ask if I needed some help while I was browsing. It just so happened that I had spoken to that same rep over the phone a week prior.
After telling him who I was, he sat me down and within seconds he had me surrounded by a 000-18 and what felt like 20 other guitars that were similar. Literally spent 4 hours just playing each guitar with my friend and figuring out what I liked the most.
This 512e was actually the first guitar I played this whole trip and I was immediately blown away by it. It’s funny that it ended up being the guitar I walked out with (or had shipped to my house lol).
Had a bit of a mental crisis as my mind was set on the 000-18, but this Taylor just did it for me. They even had a second Ben Harper there too, but the one I bought just had the MOJO.
After that, the sales rep took my buddy and I upstairs to meet George Gruhn, and play a bunch of his incredible guitars up there.
I ended up visiting a bunch of other stores like Carters and Gibson Garage to obsess over their inventory. It was such a fun weekend and I have a lovely story/adventure tied to this guitar.

Included some extra photos from my trip :).
If anyone has any questions or wants more pics of the guitar let me know!

I can't quite decide how I feel about the koa pattern on mine. It looks pretty different from most of the GS Mini Koa Plus tops I've seen online, so I'm curious what other people think.

If you were choosing this one in person, what would you rate the top visually from 1 to 10?

What do you like or dislike about the grain and figuring?

Would you pick this pattern, or would you prefer one of the more typical, even-looking koa tops?

Feel free to be critical. I'm genuinely curious what you think!

(Due to my room setup, I don't really have any photos with better lighting at the moment. If needed, I can add more photos later, including some of the fretboard :) )

The gs mini i just picked up has a…peculiar look.

All jokes aside though, how do you think it looks?